Christian Eriksen revealed Erik ten Hag's brand of football was a major factor behind his desire to join Manchester United, as he targets World Cup duty with Denmark.
Eriksen arrived at United on a three-year deal this month, having impressed during a short-term spell at Brentford as he made his comeback from suffering a cardiac arrest at the European Championship in June of last year.
Several sides expressed an interest in the midfielder – including his old club Tottenham – but Eriksen decided to link up with another former Ajax favourite in new United boss Ten Hag.
United have impressed in pre-season as Ten Hag bids to implement a more proactive style of play at Old Trafford, and the playmaker is relishing the prospect of turning out for the Dutchman's new-look team.
Asked how influential Ten Hag was in his decision to join United, Eriksen told the club's website: "Very. I want to come here to play football, I didn't come just for the logo itself.
"To speak with the manager, and hear his ideas and have conversations with him on football terms, was great for me to get the decision of coming to Manchester United.
"I think, with the idea of the manager coming in and the ideas he had, and also with my conversations with him, I could see myself playing football in Manchester.
"I think my style of play hopefully fits in his ideas, and it's hopefully something that will connect in a good and positive way. So of course, this style of football, I think it suits me.
"At the same time, it's a very, very big club – if not the biggest. It has a big history, and it's a nice feeling to be part of something that is that big in history.
"The only aim is to go as high as possible and see where it takes us, the aim is definitely to win something."
Eriksen scored one goal and added four assists in 11 Premier League appearances for Brentford, creating 30 chances after making his Bees debut in March, a tally bettered only by Martin Odegaard (38) and Kevin De Bruyne (42) throughout the division.
Meanwhile, since Eriksen made his Premier League bow for Tottenham in September 2013, only De Bruyne (85) has racked up more than his 66 assists in the competition – despite the Dane spending 18 months at Inter and a further half-season out of the game.
Having left Spurs for the Serie A giants in January 2020, Eriksen doubted whether he would return to the Premier League, but he remains grateful for Brentford's role in his comeback.
He said: "I think from my career path, before my incident in the Euros, I wasn't planning to go back to the UK at all. To sit here is definitely something I didn't expect.
"Back then, I wanted to try something new and left Spurs after more than seven years. I went to Italy and it started off tough but ended up being a very, very good place."
Asked about his time with Thomas Frank's Bees, Eriksen added: "I'm forever grateful for what they did. They showed they cared from day one, for wanting me back and being able to give me the stage to perform."
Eriksen also made an emotional return to international football in March, scoring with his first touch in Denmark's defeat to the Netherlands.
With Kasper Hjulmand's team preparing for a World Cup campaign in Qatar later this year, Eriksen says featuring at the tournament for a third time remains an ambition.
"From when I did my rehab last year, that was the aim. The dream was obviously to be back and in condition to go to the World Cup if I could," Eriksen said. "It's something I think we all dream about, playing in the World Cup. It's something that you keep with you forever."
Crewe boss Lee Bell fuming as James McClean avoids seeing red in Wrexham’s win
Crewe boss Lee Bell was livid that James McClean was allowed to stay on the pitch after the winger’s part in a first-half dust-up in Wrexham’s 3-0 win.
Bell accused the officials of failing to take action against the Irishman, who reacted angrily after a late challenge by Aaron Rowe which ended with Red Dragons goalscorer Ollie Palmer acting as peacemaker.
Referee Seb Stockbridge handed out yellow cards to both McClean and Rowe, but after the break pulled out a red to send off Alex defender Ryan Cooney, which killed off any hopes Crewe had of a fightback after they had fallen behind to first-half efforts from Palmer and Paul Mullin.
“I’m bitterly disappointed to lose at home again as we had looked much better and with a lot more energy,” Bell said. “It was a very even game but then there was a flash-point in the first half which was absolutely ridiculous and I’m quite kind to referees.
“I know James (McClean) but he should have been sent off – but Wrexham aren’t bothered and the referees aren’t bothered.
“When I got sent-off recently I was told that I wasn’t being aggressive, but when you start putting fingers in mouth and putting your head towards people you should be sent off.”
Crewe have lost their last three home games 3-0 and may still need a point from their final-day trip to Colchester to guarantee a play-off berth.
Wrexham, meanwhile, were chalking up a sixth success in the last seven games.
Palmer glanced home Mullin’s cross for the first in the 24th minute. The frontman reciprocated when he flicked on Tom O’Connor’s free-kick and Mullin lifted the ball over goalkeeper Max Stryjek in first-half stoppage time.
Cooney was given a straight red card in the 54th minute for a handling offence which prevented Mullin from running in on goal.
Andy Cannon drilled in Wrexham’s third in the 61st minute. Further goals could have followed with both substitutes Jack Marriott and Steven Fletcher going close, while Crewe sub Charlie Finney was close to heading in a consolation at the far post.
Bell added: “We will take the defeat but at 1-0 down Wrexham should have been down to 10 men. Straight from what went on with that we conceded and that made it a really difficult task against a really good team.
“But we’ll go to Colchester and myself and the players will meet the challenge head-on and make sure we don’t come off the pitch with any regrets.”
Phil Parkinson emphasised the importance of the size of Wrexham’s squad as club captain Luke Young returned to play a key part in the victory.
“Luke came in and was outstanding and that has been our strength, that the group of lads out of the side have been so important to us when they have played,” said the Wrexham boss.
“The last nine away games have seen us take 17 points, so we have been excellent on our travels which I am pleased about. Also for the integrity of the division it was important we performed as there will be teams looking at this game today needing us to come and play well.
“Our mentality has got stronger and we have been very good.
“After their lad got sent off – I was expecting a yellow card – we then went 3-0 up and it was just about controlling the game after that.
“We are happy with the promotion and if we get second then that will be great, but it’s more about finishing the season and getting to the summer and regrouping.
“There are some decisions to be made then and that will be about us sitting down as staff and making the right ones.”
Exeter record impressive win at Northampton
Ten-man Exeter continued their excellent form with a late 2-1 victory at Northampton.
The Grecians played the whole second half a man down but extended their unbeaten run to nine games thanks to Will Aimson’s 83rd minute winner.
The visitors opened the scoring at Sixfields when Harris collected Dion Rankine’s pass on 20 minutes and fired in off the post.
Jake Richards went close to adding to City’s lead before an almighty goalmouth scramble at the other end saw Louis Appere, Mitch Pinnock and Marc Leonard all have efforts either blocked or saved.
Exeter lost a man in first-half stoppage-time with Ryan Woods sent off for violent conduct after clashing with home captain Jon Guthrie.
Northampton inevitably dominated possession in the second half but it took until the 74th minute for the equaliser to arrive when Exeter failed to deal with a long throw and Guthrie stabbed in the loose ball.
But despite their numerical disadvantage, the visitors snatched victory thanks to Aimson, who ghosted in at the back post to convert Zak Jules’ cross seven minutes from time.
Joe Hart the hero for Celtic after thrilling cup semi-final win
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart set himself up for a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final farewell – despite missing a penalty in a shoot-out in a Hampden classic against Aberdeen.
Hart hit the post with Celtic’s fifth penalty following a thrilling 3-3 draw with the Dons but the victory was only delayed. The 36-year-old saved from Killian Phillips to ensure a 6-5 shoot-out win and a final date on May 25 against Rangers or Hearts ahead of his impending retirement.
It was a semi-final that had just about everything. Celtic recovered from Bojan Miovski’s early goal to led through goals from Nicolas Kuhn and substitute James Forrest, but substitute Ester Sokler headed home at the back post in the 90th minute.
Matt O’Riley fired Celtic ahead in extra-time but stand-in Dons captain Angus MacDonald atoned for the massive blunder that led to Celtic’s equaliser when he headed home in the 119th minute.
The shoot-out somehow surpassed the drama of the actual game as Hart took centre stage.
Brendan Rodgers has enjoyed far more straightforward afternoons at Hampden but still earned a perfect 10th victory at the national stadium in his first game here since the League Cup final in December 2018.
The Dons stunned the favourites two minutes in. Leighton Clarkson played a perfect pass inside Cameron Carter-Vickers to get Miovski in behind and the North Macedonia striker beat Hart to claim his 24th goal of the campaign.
Celtic created two half-chances to equalise but Yang Hyun-jun headed over and Kelle Roos stood up to parry Kyogo Furuhashi’s effort.
Aberdeen were otherwise keeping Celtic at bay until MacDonald took a poor second touch on the ball midway inside his half in the 21st minute. Furuhashi to raced away before his effort was blocked by Stefan Gartenmann, but the ball fell kindly for Kuhn, who rolled it past a stranded Roos.
Aberdeen had the best opportunity to take an interval lead but Hart saved from Gartenmann and Celtic had a let-off in the closing stages of the half when Scales handled just outside the box, according to a VAR check.
Rodgers made his first changes in the 62nd minute, Callum McGregor replaced by Tomoki Iwata and Yang making way for Forrest. The 32-year-old had a shot blocked even before netting 90 seconds after coming on.
The winger dropped the shoulder to cut inside his man before curling a perfect shot just inside the far post from 23 yards. It was his ninth goal in the latter stages of cup competitions.
Forrest forced Roos into a diving save but the game changed with the introduction of a second Aberdeen striker, Sokler, in the 79th minute.
Aerial balls led to two excellent chances for another substitute, Junior Hoilett, but a poor first touch saw him miss the first and Carter-Vickers blocked on the line from the second opportunity.
Scales headed over from six yards and Celtic paid the price for a poor pass forward from substitute Luis Palma. The ball was worked to Hoilett, who crossed to the back post for Sokler to head home.
Sokler stabbed wide in the opening moments of extra-time, although he would possibly have been called offside if it had gone to VAR, and Celtic got back on top before taking the lead in stoppage-time of the first period.
Forrest threaded a pass that allowed Alistair Johnston to run in behind and cut back for O’Riley, who found the top corner from eight yards.
The drama continued. Adam Idah had a headed goal disallowed for offside before failing to turn O’Riley’s square ball home.
Celtic survived another VAR penalty check after Carter-Vickers caught Hoilett, the video officials backing referee Don Robertson’s view that the Aberdeen winger had committed a foul on Johnston seconds beforehand.
Sokler missed from close range before MacDonald headed home in a near carbon copy of Sokler’s equaliser to spark wild celebrations on the trackside between players and fans.
Even the shoot-out had some outrageous twists. The first seven penalties were scored before Roos went down with apparent cramp and needed treatment. Ryan Duncan hit the post after the long delay.
The Celtic fans got a shock when Hart stepped up to take the penalty that would have sent Celtic into the final. The goalkeeper also hit the post.
Hoilett netted to send the tie into sudden death but Hart had the final say.
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